Persistent Karthik lives to fight another day

Dinesh Karthik is inevitable. You can drop him, overlook him, not give him a central contract, write obituaries on his playing career, and he'll still make sure that you return back to him.

22 May 2022 was yet another reminder of the aforementioned fact as Karthik made his 1500th come back to the national team following a stupendous, and at times, quite unbelievable performance in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

A year ago, Karthik was in England for a commentary stint for Sky Sports, where he was not only impressed with his eloquent and engaging insights on the game but also with his fashion sense.

His shirts became an instant cult in the UK, and if you don't believe me, go and check Twitter. A legit account keeps track of different shirts that Karthik donned during his stint.

At the time, one wondered if we would ever see DK in Indian colours again. He was playing in the IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders, but due to a combination of poor use of his skill-set and average form, one felt that maybe his playing days were behind him and a long, successful commentary career was to follow.

Karthik managed just 223 runs in 15 innings in IPL 2021, and his runs came at an average of 22.30 and a strike rate of 131.17.

He was eventually released by the Knight Riders, and to be honest with you, I didn't think that Karthik would attract many bidders at the auction.

That was not because of his form, but I felt that his best years were past him and that no franchise would be willing to punt and invest on a 37-year-old.

Well, how wrong I was! Karthik was not only picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore; he was acquired for INR 5.5 Cr.

Of course, DK had earned the call-up. Unlike other senior cricketers, who ditch domestic cricket but still aim to get an IPL contract every year, the Tamil Nadu player featured in the domestic white-ball tournaments and ended up as the leading run-getter for his state in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

In seven innings, Karthik scored 376 runs @ 53.71, including a magnificent 103-ball 116 in the final.

But can he carry his form to the IPL was a big question. Karthik also had massive boots to fill as RCB had picked him to perform the finisher's role, something AB de Villiers had done with perfection over the years.

But DK is not prone to pressure. All his life, he has had to fight against severe odds stacked against him to keep himself afloat.

Karthik made his debut in international cricket and immediately impressed with his keeping skills against England in the 2004 series.

However, a few months later, Indian cricket was swept away by a Tsunami called Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and over the next 15 years, Karthik, much like other wicket keepers from that era, had to constantly reinvent themselves to stay relevant.

Karthik opened the innings for India in Test match cricket during the 2007 tour of England and, along with Wasim Jaffer, played a very crucial role in the visitors claiming their maiden series win in the UK since 1986.

However, competition for places in the team, his inconsistencies as a batsman and turmoil in his personal life meant that DK went into the wilderness.

He did make a return to the side in 2013, but that was also short-lived. But relentless stints with Abhishek Nayar during 2016-17 ensured that he was again back in the reckoning in 2018.

So, when he went bang bang for RCB in the first half of the season, winning games when his side looked dead and buried, it was clear that the Phoenix has risen again, and it won't be long before he got back into India colours.

In 14 innings so far, Karthik has hammered 287 runs at a strike rate of 191.33, and he has done that with the help of 21 sixes and 22 fours.

Of course, that's a different point that Karthik should never have been dropped from the T20I set-up back in 2019.

Karthik became a cult hero during his return in 2018 after he scripted a memorable final-ball heist against Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy.

That knock earned him a recall to the ODI and Test team, but he became one of the collateral damages of India's heartbreaking 2019 World Cup exit a year later.

He was a part of the playing XI that lost the semi-final to New Zealand on that gloomy afternoon in Manchester two years ago. The right-hander managed a 25-ball 6 before being brilliantly caught by James Neesham at point.

Karthik was not only dropped from the ODI team, but he was also booted out of the T20I set-up despite having scored 228 runs in 14 innings with an average of 57 and a strike rate of 160.56 since his return to the side in 2018.

Karthik was also removed from the central contract list in 2019/20, and one felt that it was the end of the road for the cricketer.

Clearly, it wasn't!

"I want to be in Australia for the T20 World Cup with the Indian team. India haven't won a multi-nation tournament in a long time. I aim to help India and win it for my country."

Whether he gets to achieve that is a different matter, but as of now, Karthik can be proud of the fact that he has forced his way back into the side through sheer hard work, perseverance, persistence and patience.

His commitment and unrelenting desire to keep rising from the ashes is a testimony to his character and mental strength, and more than the records or statistics, this will forever remain his biggest legacy.